If you love him, let him go
by EvanescentCrimson
Summary: If you REALLY love him, get him back - by any means. George W is sorely tempted by a dream to perform illegal magic to return his twin to life. 22 yrs post Deathly Hallows. Based in AR by Bl00dofTheViNE in "three cheers to fatherhood." George Weasly's POV
1. 1 Dream

**1. A Dream**

George awoke with a start. His pajamas and pillow drenched by a cold sweat…

"Honey, you okay?" his Muggle wife Helen, sleeping beside him, asked.

"Yeah, fine, just a dream…" he lied. He was seriously freaked out. "I'm going for a glass of water, be right back."

It had seemed so real, so material, so existent. Odd.

He found a bottle of vodka on the kitchen table - a bunch of kids had spiked it with a levitating charm and used it to scare a couple of Muggles. He'd removed the charm after receiving it, but kept the vodka - it was good vodka - and poured a few sips into a tumbler. After draining it, he went for a walk in the crisp cold.

The dream that had awoken him, after which the details had been evanescent, had featured his brother, Fred, who'd been dead for twenty-two years now.

George couldn't help but strain his mind to try and remember what the dream had been about, even though it still cut like a blade to think about his brother, even after so long… It had been so realistic, as if whatever was happening in the dream were really happening, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember.

He went back to the house after a short while, once he'd given up on trying to remember the dream, and returned to bed.

_____________________________________________________________

The room in which he stood was dark, almost cold too, but not quite enough to chill him. He'd placed the coffin, open, in the center of the circle of bright blue Lapis Lazuli stones as the scrolls lain out before him instructed. Stepping away from the old Podium of Instruction, he began to chant, waving his wand in the intricate patterns he'd so diligently memorized. Before long, the magically restored corpse of his brother, Fred, began to shine with an ominous green light…

If the months of research he'd done and instruction he'd endured were right, this should be the removal of the spell that had killed him - the killing curse. True to form, the light centered to Fred's chest and then exploded outward, a beam that retreated through the ceiling and out of sight.

George continued the dark ritual, into the perfection of which he'd poured months of endless trouble and effort, and soon his brother's body started to regain its colour. Almost bursting with anticipatory excitement, George persisted with renewed vigor and even more practiced precision.

Suddenly, the corpse moved - a sharp, odd movement, almost too fast to have been noticed. Startled by the quick flinch the body had made, George almost lost his place completely, but his subconscious took over and he strove forward to complete the complex incantation. He'd lost everything to get here; he wasn't about to stuff it all up now. At the last line of his long, Byzantine spell, Fred began to breathe. Upon the final word, he sat up, looked around wildly.

They exchanged a short glance before the room exploded crimson around them.

_____________________________________________________________

George awoke once more, quickly grasping to remember what he could, the details of his dream still mostly evanescent, and wrote every detail he was able to clutch on a piece of lined Muggle paper with a Muggle ballpoint pen.

He knew, by what he'd been able to remember, what he must do…

What he'd seen hadn't been a dream at all, but rather: a vision.


	2. 2 Books

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**2. Books**

"Okay, bye Honey," Helen said, balancing a pile of books in her arms as she fiddled with keys to let herself out. Being a Muggle, she didn't have the advantage of magic to make her life a bit easier.

George, eyeing the pile of books, had a strange thought; he'd never really been one for studying anything. Actually, he'd never done more studying for anything than was absolutely necessary! And yet he now had an overpowering urge to do just that: to study.

The dream from the previous week kept surfacing in his waking mind - the bits he remembered - and he'd given up on trying to ignore it. He'd discarded the idea of actually carrying out the "premonition" minutes after the odd idea had bounced into his head. It would be mad, not to mention illegal, to try and resurrect his brother. It would be amoral. He was a ministry official, for God's sake! He couldn't go around performing highly unlawful (and even more highly frowned upon) Dark magic.

"Helen, hey, do you want me to take those books back for you?" George offered, putting his newspaper down and sending his empty coffee mug to the sink with a haphazard flick of his wand. It shattered against the counter, but he fixed it quickly with a short (and slightly more carefully performed) charm. He was oddly nervous… "I know you're gonna be quite busy today, and I have the morning off…"

"That'd be great, thanks". Helen started to walk across the entrance towards the kitchen to hand George the books, but he relieved her of them with another lazy flick of his wand.

"Saves you the walk. You have a busy day ahead of you, remember?" he countered the irritated look she gave him. Helen hated it when he made her look incapable by using magic.

"Ah, fine" she huffed with mock annoyance, before leaving.

*

Seeing George enter the (Muggle) town library young Ava Patil, only sixteen now, quickly hopped up to meet him at the counter.

"Mr. Weasley! So good to see you! You don't stop by often enough…"

"Hey Ava, yeah, I'm not the reader in the family… But I would like to do some reading today" George said with a warm smile, handing her the books. He'd had a few dinners and the like with Parvati (Ava's mom) and her lovely fiancé (Luis) of nineteen years because Helen and Luis were long-time friends. Having inherited her father's Muggle genes, Ava couldn't go to wizard school, but she was certified to work as the librarian for the Magical Department at the community library.

"Password, Mr. Weasley?" Ava asked, smiling.

"But you know who I am…"

"I do, but you could be an impostor or something like that. I don't actually know what the password is for; I know all the wizards who come here"

"Fine, Aposta-Magiknow". The words were actually an incantation that was becoming all the rage in wizarding schools all over the world. It magically "studied" selected work into the caster's (or target's) memory for shorts periods of time. Great for cramming hours before a test, but with some nasty side

effects. George had worked on a few Muggles who the spell was tested on, who had sprouted rather unsightly blue fur around their eyes. It wasn't a great idea over all - he wondered why the ministry hadn't banned the spell.

"Mister Weasley?"

"Sorry, I was daydreaming. Thanks Ava. Say hi to your parents for me?"

He hurried off through the invisible (to Muggles, that is) arch that'd appeared in the wall, leading to the magic library. He started looking immediately for the section he was going to research:

Necromancy.


	3. 3 Drugs

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**3. Drugs**

By the time he'd finished researching - not that there'd been much to research on Necromancy - it was almost midnight. One of the great things about the Magical Library was that you could apparate out, even though you needed the password to get in. This way one could read for hours, days even, and not need to leave. George was in the mood for a walk anyway, so he apparated to a spot in an alley separating the library from a small flat of shops next door, where he was surprised to find…

"Teddy?"

"Mr. Weasley," Teddy replied, reaching to pick up the knapsack George had knocked out of his hands when he'd appeared. "Good, uh, evening?"

"To you too, but what are you doing out so late?"

"Well, Mr. Weasley, I work in the city now… It's not even far, now that I'm staying in Godric's Hollow"

"Ah, well, that's good then I guess. See you got some tattoos, they're nice"

"Oh, yeah, these aren't permanent. I can flick them on and off, what with being a metamorphmagus. The designs are from a Muggle musician though… Oli Sykes"

George made a slight face, "Bring me the Horizon?"

"Yeah, that's them," Teddy looked surprised that any other wizard could possibly know who that was.

"Hey, I'm not living under a rock. I do have a Muggle wife, and kids who're influenced by the Muggle world. I'm bound to pick up some of the culture"

"Good thing, that! Well, Mr. Weasley, was good seeing you again, but I should get going. See you around?"

"Sure thing," George mumbled as Teddy popped out of sight, something on the pavement against the wall had caught his attention. Investigating, he found a relatively small, clear vile. The vile was filled with a blue liquid, and bore a simple label - "Asphixus - 3 doses - ten Galleons" - which was decorated by a small, ornately drawn "AS"

*

George snuck out of the bedroom under an invisibility cloak he'd bought himself in Knockturne Alley a few years prior. He took the potion, Asphixus, with him. He'd assumed Teddy had dropped it, because he'd found it almost exactly where Teddy's bag had fallen.

Upon reaching the small stand of trees behind his house, George popped the cork of the potion and took a few small sips. It did say "3 doses," so George assumed it was meant to be drank. He was right. The potion was delicious, in his opinion, apart from the burning sensation it gave him in the back of his throat as he swallowed. Besides that, he felt an almost immediate effect on his body. It was almost as if his air supply had been cut off, except that he wasn't suffocating - at least, it didn't feel like it.

He downed the rest of the small vial, and was soon floating (not literally, of course) like some kind of happy little cloud, and the trees around him all seemed very far away.

*

George awoke under a tree.

He'd never taken any kind of recreational drug before, so he hadn't known what to expect, but from what he could remember, it had felt quite good.

It was definitely something he'd try again.

Little did he know, that one innocent vial would be the start of a massive, dependent addiction. . .

**AN: Sorry this was such a short chapter - well, even shorter than the others… but the next few will be longer. Hope you're enjoying the story so far. Please Review so I know what you do/don't like and what you'd like to see. Or simply to share your thoughts =)**

**Also - a query I got - Necromancy is the magical art of bringing dead things back to life…**


	4. 4 Fight Trip Accident

**Note:** The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by BL00DofTheViNE, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Strong language

**4. Fight. Trip. Accident.**

Helen was cooking dinner. Seeing as how she was making Lasagna, it would take her a few hours, because (as a Muggle) she couldn't just whip it up quickly with a few waves of a wand.

George was sitting in the makeshift study - basically just a room where they put the computer, amongst various other random things - thinking about the research he'd done a few days earlier. Losing himself in his thoughts, he fell asleep against an old sofa that was currently waiting to be disposed of.

*

He awoke again to the sound of Helen's voice, calling him to dinner. He'd been having the dream again, before she woke him up. The fourth time in as many days now, and it still didn't fail to freak him out.

He went down for dinner. Helen was already waiting at the table.

"Honey. You okay? You look rather off-ish," she commented, reaching for a plate to dish up for him.

"Yeah, sorry, I dozed off"

"You've been doing that a lot lately… Is everything okay? Trouble at work again?" She seemed genuinely worried. Was it that obvious?

"Er, yeah. It's just work. I'm fine, really."

Though, he hadn't noticed he was aimlessly pushing his food around his plate before Helen remarked, "Is there something wrong with the food?"

"No. I'm not hungry. Sorry, I'll eat later"

"But, you're never just not hungry! What's wrong, George, tell me?!" Now she was borderline hysterical.

"I'm just not fucking hungry, okay!"

And, seconds before Helen could register what had just happened. Before her face contorted with hurt and she burst into tears, he was gone.

*

George knocked on the door.

Obviously Harry wasn't home, because he could hear loud music blaring from a room on the second floor, which meant that Teddy should be.

Knocking proved to be a pointless exercise. No one would hear him over the music, and calling for Teddy was proving just as fruitless.

Deciding no one would mind, as long as he fixed it, he blew the door off it's hinges with a quick utterance of "Bombarda"

Once he'd let himself in, he repaired the door and put it back on its hinges with a few simple spells, before going upstairs to find Teddy.

He walked through Teddy's open door and found the young man sitting almost trance-like on the floor by the window, swaying numbly to the heavy music.

"Teddy?" He called quite loudly, but he wasn't heard over the roaring stereo. He adjusted the volume, turning it down quite a bit (the stereo had obviously been charmed so that it would make the music sound much louder than an ordinary stereo could) and tried again.

"Teddy?" This time he got a groggy reply.

"George?" Teddy looked alarmingly confused, and even more alarmingly stoned.

"Er, yeah, it's me?"

"What're you doing here? How did you get in?" Teddy looked, if possible, even more confused now that he'd registered who he was talking to.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I let myself in, no one answered the door" he gave this a few seconds to sink in, realizing now that Teddy was obviously still tripping on something, "Listen. The other night, when I saw you in town, I found a potion that you dropped - Asphixus - where can I find more?"

"Asphixus? I have some right here" he said, laughing, "You drank the potion?"

"Yeah, I did, and now it seems I need more…"

"Well, I can sell you some. Three doses? Ten Galleons?"

"I'll have three of those vials, for now. Thanks"

Teddy got up and walked to the corner, where he retrieved and waved his wand; and a small, solid cube transfigured back into a cabinet. Digging in the cabinet, he procured three vials of the blue drug, and then changed the cabinet back into the inconspicuous little cube.

"Here you go, thirty galleons."

"Great," he handed Teddy the money and turned to leave.

"Hey, wait up, I'm being a terrible host. Can I offer you something to drink?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. I'll have a double vodka and pumpkin juice. If you have?"

Teddy summoned up drinks for both of them, and in a while, after a few drinks, both were considerably tipsy. Which is when they decided to take a dose of Asphixus each, from Teddy's personal store.

"Holy fuck, this stuff is amazing," George commented, after the rush started in his head, and his vision inverted; making everything seem far away, "do you brew it yourself?"

After a few minutes of pointless laughing Teddy simply made a face and shook his head.

"Well, who makes the stuff then? The potioneer must be a genius!"

"Ah, yeah, he is. I just can't tell you who he is. Sorry, but he's a close friend, and I promised."

"Oh, okay then," George was taking uneven steps backwards, concentrating on the ceiling light, which seemed to be growing bigger with every passing second.

Then he reached the open window, didn't realize fast enough what was happening, and fell.


	5. 5 St Mungo's

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Strong Language. Fluff.

**5. St. Mungo's**

Teddy's POV

At first, Teddy didn't even process the yell. The odd whooshing sound. The thump, as George hit the ground a storey below. It was only a few seconds later that he realized what'd happened, and started to panic. He moved to the window, faster than he should've been able to in his current state, and looked out. George Weasley was crunched up on the floor in a very unceremonious heap, unmoving.

Teddy ran downstairs and out of the door, into the yard. He found George, still motionless.

What was it you were supposed to do in a situation like this?

He wasn't all that good at healing spells and the like, and he wasn't even completely sure what he needed to heal.

Taking a wild chance, he performed a few complex charms (concentrating quite hard on not completely screwing them up) to suspend time in the space around Mr. Weasley's body, so nothing could happen to him; so he couldn't die while Teddy called for medical assistance.

By the time a team from St. Mungo's arrived, Teddy had almost completely sobered up (if you can say that), and was able to weave together a relatively unremarkable explanation for the accident. He didn't realize that the time-suspending charm he'd put on George would stop him from sobering up as well.

*

George's POV

George woke up dazedly in a small hospital ward, on one of those uncomfortable hospital beds, in one of those breezy hospital robes. Seeing Helen standing on the other side of the room, he closed his eyes again so she wouldn't notice he was awake.

Unfortunately, however, the charm that was placed to alert people when he woke up activated, and a low, keening alarm sounded.

"George! My soul! Do you know how worried I was? Do you know what you put me, what you put Roxanne through?" she was halfway between tears and a blind rage, "Drugs! George, you were taking drugs! What the fuck?! I can't believe you would do this to me, to us… I can't believe it, any of it!"

When she seemed to have calmed down a bit, George asked, "How long was I out for?"

A nurse who George hadn't seen, who barely looked old enough to be out of school, replied, "Three days, Mr. Weasley. You took quite a knock to your head. There was also severe internal bleeding, which would have killed you if that kid hadn't put the time-suspending charm around you. You also had a few breaks and fractures in both legs, and your right arm was shattered. We had to work on scene. You're very lucky we got there when we did. That time-suspender was starting to fail before we even removed it…"

"Do you hear that, George? You almost died!" Helen broke down into a fit of sobs, "You almost died!"

"Ma'am, could you please leave the room. Your husband needs his rest."

She gave him a pained look through her tears before leaving the room, "I'm sorry," George mumbled, before slipping back into a deep sleep.

*

He was woken up again by the flash of red light at the end of his dream. His dream that wouldn't just piss off and leave him alone. His own personal curse.

He sat up gingerly. It was dark outside the window and there didn't seem to be anyone in his room. His legs and arm still hurt, though they seemed to be unbroken, and his head swam. There was bruising on his right arm and chest.

He heard an odd sobbing sound from the hall.

Deciding that it couldn't do any harm to investigate, he got out of bed and walked into the hall.

Somebody was sitting in the corner at the end of the hall moaning softly. There didn't seem to be anyone else around, so George took a few steps forward before speaking.

"Hello?"

Nothing…

"Hello, are you okay?"

This time, the relatively young woman gave a faint reply, "She killed them, you know… Both of them. She just waltzed right in and killed them."

"Who? Sorry, who killed who?"

"My sister! She just killed them, my parents. She killed them, and I tried to disarm her, but she was always better with her wand than I was. She cursed me, and then she made me watch her. Then she killed herself."

"Oh, er, okay. Wow. Yeah, that's really shit"

"Shit. You've got that right," she was suddenly laughing hysterically, "Shit!" and with that, she got up and left.

*

Helen came back the next morning. She seemed to be a bit calmer than she'd been the previous day.

"Helen, Honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to put you through this. I don't know what I was thinking. I don't know if I even was thinking. I'm sorry"

That was all it took. Helen was suddenly in the bed with him, crying again. "It's okay. Everything's okay. You're okay. Let's just go home."

**AN: This was an odd chapter - I think it's going to have some kind of link to something that happens later in the story… Not sure yet though, so I wrote it anyway =) please review!! I'd like to know what your thoughts, suggestions etc are…**


	6. 6 Visit

**Note**: The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** None

**6. Visit**

Everything had almost returned to normal over the past week. A healer from St. Mungo's had declared George fully recovered, and Helen had stopped treating him like a brittle nutcase.

Fred Jr. who had graduated from Hogwarts in June that year would be visiting for the weekend since it was Halloween on Saturday, and he hadn't spent a Halloween with his family in seven years.

On insistence by Helen, Fred was studying (Muggle) Veterinary Science at Oxford University, because she believed that Fred should have an ordinary job to fall back on should the magical world not be to his liking. For this purpose, George had risked his job forging a "straight A's" certificate from a Muggle high school for Fred to apply with.

Seeing as Fred did have a passion for animals, he didn't mind studying them from a Muggle point of view at all - but his dream had always been to train dragons in Romania with his uncle Bill.

"I still don't see why he's taking a plane. He could have just apparated right onto our doorstep, and saved us all this hassle," George was in a particularly bad mood this morning. He hadn't slept well, work was bothering him about some or another report he was supposed to have drafted, and now he would have to waste half his day picking Fred up at the airport and driving around town in a taxi.

"Freddie wants it to be like any other welcoming any of his friends from university will be getting. Now stop complaining"

"We should really invest in a car," Helen didn't like cars. She preferred public transport. She'd stumped that idea quite a few times, and these days she just answered the idea with a dirty look.

"Roxanne, honey, get down here! We have to leave!"

Roxanne, now nine, still wasn't showing much aptitude for anything magical. She would find herself in the middle of some strange happening every now and then, but it didn't happen very often, and it was never anything very remarkable. Her greatest achievement to date had been setting her monstrous old grade school teacher's bad red wig on fire, and she didn't even realize it was she who'd done it…

*

They arrived at the airport minutes before Fred's plane landed. Roxanne had made a pretty little card, the glitter on which mysteriously changed colour, which she'd misplaced. Eventually, when he'd decided they couldn't waste anymore time, George summoned the card with an 'Accio' spell.

Roxanne was wearing the Witch costume she'd worn every Christmas holiday since she was four, so she could show her big brother what he'd missed that Halloween. It always had him in stitches when she asked if he liked her idea - though she did always change some minor detail.

"Mom, Dad, Rox!" Fred called as he came up behind them, pushing a trolley with his luggage.

"Freddie! Oh, it's so good to see you. How's Oxford? Is everything perfect? Have you made any friends? Are you getting all your washing done? Do you have enough undies?" Helen had never been one for an inconspicuous welcoming. Fred immediately went several shades of red. Helen reminded George of his mom sometimes…

"Uh, yeah, thanks. Everything's perfect. Undies - check. Washing - check. Friends - check… can we move onto something less embarrassing now?"

At that moment, though, Roxanne launched herself at her brother (almost knocking him over completely) and exclaimed, "Look, Freddie! This is what I'm wearing for Halloween this year! Do you like it? I made the cloak red, it's much nicer than the old purple one!"

"It's great, Rox, I love the red cloak. You could have waited 'til Saturday to show me though…"

"Will you take me trick-or-treating? I want to go trick-or-treating! Oh, please won't you take me?!"

"Of course I'll take you, Squirt…"

Roxanne had completely forgotten about the Welcoming card in the interim, and when she delivered it, it had bent in half and lost half its glitter.

"Okay, let's go home. I'm starved, and I have a few assignments I'll need to get done before I can do anything half fun this weekend."

*

Helen's POV

The remainder of Thursday and Friday were relatively uneventful, and by the time Saturday arrived, Roxanne was simply bursting with excitement. Roxanne's excitement, however, was just about the last thing on Helen's mind.

She had just found out that morning that half the Weasleys would be joining them for supper, (Ron and Hermione. Arthur and Molly. Ginny.) and she would have to spend the whole day cooking if she wanted to produce anything that'd have any hope of passing Mrs. Weasley Senior's highly critical inspection - she doubted she had a chance.

"Mom! I want a chocolate Sundae!"

"Ask your brother to get you one then Rox, I'm a little bit busy right now. I have a big dinner to cook," a nagging child was far from what she needed right now…

"But Freddie's still sleeping, Mom, can I wake him up?"

"It's past nine, he doesn't need that much sleep. Go wake him up, tell him I've made breakfast, and its getting cold," in truth, she hadn't made breakfast, but George had bought a few instant meal charms a few weeks earlier, and you didn't have to be a wizard to operate them. She took out three and turned them into plates laden with steaming bacon, eggs, sausage and buttered toast. It looked appetizing enough.

With any luck, George would be home before the rest of the Weasleys arrived. He'd gone to work to do some report, and make the necessary arrangements for the upcoming Halloween drama the young witches and wizards of England were bound to cause in the unsuspecting Muggle world. Last year, Halloween had taken him two weeks of non-stop working to fix, and he was trying to prevent the same problem this year.

Helen ate quickly, affording Freddie a quick 'Good Morning,' before resuming her cooking. This was going to be a long day…

**AN: I need storyline ideas (0x) please will anyone with an idea for the plot let me know what they think/share their ideas etc… I'm running out've filler and it's going to start getting a little lame.**

**Otherwise, how's it coming along?? **


	7. 7 Dinner

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** None

**7. Dinner**

Mix of Helen and George POV

By the time George got home, Helen had already produced a full roast (complete with pork, beef and chicken, veggies, potato, pork crackle and a green salad) as well as a Treacle Tart and some Malva Pudding for dessert. He had to hand it to her - she could really get things done when she put her mind to it.

"Honey, go upstairs and get changed before people start to get here. I'm not greeting guests by myself," and almost on cue, the doorbell rang. George made to answer the door, but Helen stopped him, "I'll get it, just go get dressed!"

"Okay," and with that he disappeared up the stairs to go get into a dinner suit.

Helen opened the door to find Arthur and Molly, followed by a mopey-looking Ginny. Always the first to arrive at anything. Always with very inconvenient timing…

"Molly! Arthur! Ginny! First to arrive, and with perfect timing too, George just got home. Literally - seconds before you got here. Please, do come in," she took Arthur's coat and offered them each a goblet of iced pumpkin juice off a tray she'd had ready at the door.

"Helen, darling, I know you've cooked, but I brought a pasta salad. I simply had to contribute to dinner. I hope you don't mind." Molly always had to 'contribute' and Helen did mind. The old bat couldn't just leave the meal for the person she ordered to cook it to cook, could she??

"No, of course not, Molly. I'll just put it in the fridge until we eat"

"Great. Thank you Helen, you're a darling. Now, where are Roxanne and Freddie? I haven't seen my grandchildren since Christmas last year at Ginny's. You've been keeping them from me"

Just then, George came down the stairs, followed by a rather bored looking Fred, and Roxanne who was still excited to go trick-or-treating, and already in costume.

"Mom, Dad, Ginny. Sorry I took so long; Helen made me get into a suit for dinner."

The doorbell rang again, this time announcing Ron and Hermione's arrival, and they all moved to the dining room to get ready to eat.

"This is the first Halloween dinner I haven't hosted in nearly ten years, but I must say, you've done a great job Helen. Do you have any candles?" Ginny piped up. Helen and Ginny didn't get along all that well, though they led people to think they did, so Helen knew there was going to be a catch…

"No, sorry. We used the last few a couple of weeks back when we had a power cut while George was at work, why?"

"Too bad. Halloween dinner isn't going to be the same without my floating candles," Ginny was being overly sweet. It made Helen want to hit her.

"Halloween dinner isn't going to be the same anyway Sweetheart, but we'll be happy with what we have. Helen, it was very kind of you to do this on such short notice. We all really appreciate it." Was that a compliment, from Molly?? Or a critique in disguise…?

"I have candles in my room, do you want me to go get them?" Freddie obviously hadn't noticed the claws come out - for an eighteen year old he really didn't have much along the lines of perception skills.

"It's okay," Helen said.

"Please do," Ginny said.

They each shot the other a poisonous look before Helen (apparently) gave in and said, "Go get the candles. We'd hate for Ginny to be deprived of her amazing floating candles. Let's try to make this as easy for her as possible. I can't imagine what she must be going through - what with her marriage having fallen apart, and all her social duties to the rest of the family being stripped. Please, Ginny, is there anything else you'd like me to change? Anything I can better for you?"

The awkward silence that followed her outburst was exactly what she'd expected, but Ginny was always so selfish. Ginny was always the one who'd make her feel inadequate for being a Muggle. Someone had to put her in her place.

"Well, this is sufficiently awkward," Freddie got up and hurried upstairs to find the candles, which he was sure no one wanted anymore.

"Ginny, you can enchant those when Freddie gets back. I'll start dishing up. Molly, will you help me?" Helen was back in control. If she was hosting this dinner party, she would be in charge.

The remainder of dinner went by without any further complaint, disagreement or interruption of any kind. Molly and Ginny kept to themselves, offering little to no feedback on the meal (or Helen's cooking), Hermione and Helen socialized with Arthur, Ron and George, though the two groups mostly kept to themselves too, and Freddie amused Roxanne. After dinner, the three groups broke up and moved to separate areas, and Freddie took Roxanne trick-or-treating.

Helen, Hermione and Ron had ended up in the lounge.

"Dinner was nice, thanks Helen."

"Thanks Hermione, though I don't think Molly and Ginny are very impressed with me. I don't think I was wrong lashing out at her though - she would've jumped to criticize everything she could had I not. I hope George isn't pissed…"

"Ginny will get over it. It isn't our fault she and Harry screwed up their marriage, right?" Ron, being eloquent as ever.

"You could put it that way. I wouldn't. You should serve dessert, Hel, before Ginny and Molly find a reason to leave," at the last bit, Helen and Hermione both found themselves laughing.

*

"Good-bye, thanks for coming," Helen was seeing Ron and Hermione out. As she'd suspected, Ginny and Molly had found a reason to leave shortly after dessert, and George was still inside with Arthur, who didn't see any reason to leave before he'd had his fill of free Firewhisky and Toad-schnappes.

Fred and Roxanne had come back from trick-or-treating and disappeared upstairs after having a bit of dessert. Roxanne was probably sleeping by now, and Fred would be doing more work for university.

Apart from the disagreement with Ginny, Helen's first and last Halloween dinner had been a relative success…

**AN: Please review, leave any input/ideas you may have… thanx for bearing with the sparse updates of late if you're a regular reader XD**


	8. 8 Spellwork and Plans

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** None

**8. Spellwork and Plans **

George had had a terrible day at the office…

Everything that could go wrong that Halloween, had.

He'd been busy for almost a week now; adjusting memories, de-cursing and de-hexing various things, fixing up Muggles who'd gotten into scraps with raucous young witches… The works.

Finally, when it was time to go home, he was gone before anyone could find something else they may need him to do.

On the way out of the Ministry, he ran into Teddy - who he hadn't spoken to or seen since the incident a couple of weeks ago.

"Teddy," George greeted the young man cheerfully, completely at odds with the mood he was in.

"Mr. Weasley, good afternoon, how are you?"

"I'm good, thanks. You?"

"Good… Thanks," Teddy obviously hadn't completely gotten over the incident. This was turning out to be a little awkward… Too bad though, because George's supply was finished, and he needed a few more doses.

"So, uh, Teddy… The Asphixus, I need a few more doses. Do you have any on you?"

"You're still taking?"

"Yeah, I am. Why?"

Teddy seemed to be puzzled that he'd still be taking the Asphixus. Why wouldn't he be?

"After what happened, after Helen found out, I assumed you'd stop…"

"Oh, that," Someone had to bring it up… "Well, I haven't. Do you have any on you?"

"Okay… Well, I have two 3-Dose vials and five singles on me. Forty-five Galleons. Is that fine?" Teddy asked, taking his backpack off and opening a concealed zip on the back.

"Great, thanks," George gave Teddy the cash and took the vials, putting them safely in his coat pocket. "See you around Teddy."

"Sure thing Mr. Weasley," Teddy said, and was off almost immediately.

George continued his walk to an "apparation-friendly" alley he'd adopted a few streets down, where he apparated right onto his front porch. Helen should already be home by the time he got there, so he entered quietly and went upstairs to offload his fix into the hidden compartment in his underwear drawer.

At midnight, George snuck out of bed and down to the garden again, taking care not to wake Helen. He took with him two single doses and a book on Forbidden Magical Rites which he'd bought in Knockturne Alley. He was going to try something which would need quite a bit of courage, and a good distraction.

In the garden, behind the small stand of trees, he drank the contents of one small vial.

Soon, after the burning sensation he felt in his throat after swallowing, came the floating feeling and the inversion of his vision. He was ready.

He opened the book to the place he'd marked - a long, complex spell that would conjure 'real' gold Galleons that disappear shortly after created - and began to read. It was difficult, what with his vision inverted, and his concentration shot, but he managed to get it all out. Then he cast the "instant memorization" charm he'd heard about a while ago, the "Aposta-Magiknow" spell, which he'd tweaked so that if performed at the right speed and with the right pronunciation and wand movement, wouldn't have any nasty side effects.

Almost immediately, George felt the knowledge from the passage he'd just read - almost an exact picture of the page - materialize in his memory.

He took the second dose of Asphixus, and then doodled dazedly in the back of the spell book with a pen until he felt the effects start to wear off. He'd go back to bed, and see if he still remembered the spell he'd taught himself in the morning.

*

When he woke up, George felt the usual groggy realisation as a few images from his midnight undertaking came drifting back. The one solid memory, however, was the spell he'd magically studied. It was still nearly as clear as day in his memory, a photo of the page in the book it'd come from, only slightly blurred in places. If the "instant memorization" charm worked that well, so well that it could almost overcome the haze created by the Asphixus, then it obviously had potential.

With a few tweaks and some editing, George planned to have the spell be capable of memorizing things for much longer periods of time and with much more accuracy. If he could get this right, he'd be another step closer to reaching his final goal…


	9. 9 Hogwarts

**AN:** Ellow!! XD So. . . I got the betaed versions, which aren't riddled with terrible mistakes. This is the reloaded chapter. Enjoy. Thanks for the reviews, don't stop there!

**Disclaimer: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** A little bit of guy/guy… nothing too hectic though =P if you've been reading abovementioned fanfic, you've read worse…

**9. Hogwarts**

It was early November, and Professor McGonagall had requested that George send a member of his department to Hogwarts to deliver a presentation on 'The importance of Muggle Relations and the Protection of Muggle interests' - and he'd decided to go himself.

Since the protection around Hogwarts was still very tight, he'd have to apparate to Hogsmeade and walk from there.

Grabbing his coat, he kissed Helen goodbye quickly before leaving (through the front door) and swiftly reappeared outside The Hog's Head.

Deciding that it could do no harm to have a quick drink - he was very early - he went inside. He sat at the end of the bar closest to the door, in the new front area, and ordered himself a Butterbeer - it being far too early to drink anything heavy.

From behind him somewhere, he heard the oddest laugh. Exactly the same laugh you'd expect from someone who was high - because he knew exactly what kind of laugh that was - and turned to look for the source of the sound. Low and behold, it was coming from a booth against the wall on the other side of the room, where two boys, a black haired boy with striking green eyes and a blonde with grey eyes, were lounging, the first with his head in the second's lap.

What on earth were Albus and Scorpius doing out of school, and in a tavern, at nine in the morning?

George got up when his Butterbeer arrived, and walked over to where the two boys were sitting.

"This seat taken?" he asked, indication the chair opposite the one on which the boys were… lounging.

"Uncle George? Oh, hey. Um, no. You can sit there" Albus looked momentarily confused, and then promptly burst into a fit of giggling, Scorpius joined in too at this point.

"Morning Scor" George looked at Scorpius, who looked dazed.

"Mr. Weasley! Hi!" more laughter…

"Er, so what are you two doing out of school, this early?"

Albus answered, as soon as he was finished laughing at some inside joke the two had shared. "We, er, you know…"

"Decided to bunk and get high… on the day I'm doing a presentation at your school… I"m offended," George feigned hurt for a second before continuing. "Will you two be back for my presentation, at one?"

"Yeah, sure we will!"

"I didn't even know there was a presentation"

"That's because you weren't at dinner on Wednesday, Scor"

"Oh, yeah, right. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I did, you forgot. LOL" and they did, before proceeding to make out against the wall, very affectionately… He'd heard that the two were close, he hadn't realized just how close.

"Well, boys, I'd hate to intrude on any more of your alone time…" George placed his empty butterbeer on the table and got up to leave, "Er, see you both later?"

"Oh, sorry!" Albus broke the kiss, "Yeah, catch ya later…"

*

George walked through the giant front doors into the entrance hall. Waiting for him was a striking woman with soft features and long silver hair…

"Mr. Weasley," she said emotionlessly, not particularly welcoming, "I've been expecting you"

"Well, I'm quite early… so, I can't be late," George distinctly remembered that he was only expected at twelve, for one…

"I'm Darianna Prince, Potions Master," she turned towards the great hall, "please, follow me."

She led him through the empty great hall, breakfast was over, to a disguised door on the other end which opened up to a staff room - obviously a new one, since the old one hadn't been here before.

"Please, make yourself comfortable. You can wait here until Minerva returns from an errand," she was so emotionless, it was almost unsettling. "If you'll excuse me. I have a class to teach next period."

Darianna Prince swept dramatically from the room, and George was left to himself in the empty staff room.

He summoned some tea from a cabinet in the corner, and had it prepare itself, before reaching for the previous day's copy of the Daily Prophet that was lying on a coffee table to his right.

After about forty minutes, Professor McGonagall appeared.

"George Weasley," she said affectionately as she limped into the room, age was obviously starting to take its toll on the still-regal woman. "So good to see you again. Please, let's have this meeting in my office," and, with that, they were standing in the oval Headmaster's office - one George remembered all too clearly from his many visits to it in his school years.

"Take a seat, please," she indicated a couch in front of her, and sat down on one opposite it, behind her. "You're rather early…"

"Well, yeah, sorry. I was hoping to maybe take a look around, explore a bit before the presentation…"

"Ah, yes. Naturally you'd want to see what's changed. What's new. I won't keep you - I have a pile of work to do. You have the run of the castle and the grounds. I'll see you in the great hall at twelve-thirty. The passwords to the common rooms are as follows. Gryffindor - Diddleworms, Ravenclaw - Assostiles, Hufflepuff - Cotton candy and Slytherin - Vermintas. Have fun," she winked playfully at George before getting up and going to her desk. George got up to leave as well.


	10. 10 Proposition

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:**

**10. Proposition**

The first place George went was Gryffindor tower.

Not much had changed in his absence. It was still homey and inviting, filled with plush sofas and reading chairs.

In one corner was an easel with a half finished painting standing on it; of a fair girl with long, wavy honey-brown hair and bright, almost turquoise eyes. She had a piercing below her dainty, slightly pursed lips. She'd done dark eye make-up, in shades of red and charcoal, with heavy liner. She was wearing an elegant black corset, laced silver, under an open Slytherin uniform cloak. The painting was stunning. She was stunning…

George wondered who would be dumb enough to leave a half finished painting of a Slytherin girl lying around in the Gryffindor common room, but when he tried to touch it and received a nasty, hair raising shock, he changed his mind about the 'dumb' part…

He was still admiring the artwork when he was startled by a voice behind him.

"So, what do you think?" It was Scorpius, who had just come in with Albus. They were both in Slytherin, so what on earth were they doing here? Those two really were odd…

"It's nice. Beautiful, really. Er, who's is it?"

"Mine, why else would I have asked for your opinion?" Scorpius laughed, looking confused, though it was George who should be…

"But, you're both in Slytherin… What's it doing here? What are _you_ doing here?"

"We're hiding it here," Albus answered.

"We don't want the girl in it to see it…" Scorpius finished. "We come here so I can paint it when we have free time. James hides it for us, and I've made sure no one can touch it."

"Well, it's really good… Are you doing it from a photo?"

"No," Scorpius smiled warmly, "She just inspired me to do a painting - I made the image myself…"

"You're really talented… Well, don't stay out of class too long. See you guys later, I'm doing a tour," George said as he walked away, leaving the boys to themselves again.

*

George was walking toward the greenhouses when Neville called from behind him, "George! Hey, I heard you were coming today. Are you excited for the presentation?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess?"

"Great, well, let's make it a good one. We never get any interesting outside visitors here, for anything… It's good to see a new face."

"Sure thing, Neville. I was just going to see the greenhouses. You want to show me around?"

*

After the greenhouses, George visited Hagrid briefly and then went to see Dumbledore's tomb. At twelve-fifteen he started making his way back to the castle.

Sitting alone under a tree, reading a book, was a girl he was sure he recognized, though he couldn't quite place her.

After a few seconds of racking his memory, he realized she was the one from St. Mungo's - the one who's sister had killed her parents. Deciding it was safe to speak to her, he walked towards her and stopped a few feet in front of where she was sitting.

"Yeah?" She said coldly, without even looking up.

"Hey, you're that girl from St. Mungo's, right? We… met, briefly. I wanted to check how you're doing."

"I'm fine," she said plainly, looking up for the first time. "I don't remember meeting you…"

"Well, you were pretty out of it. I'm George Weasley. Now we've met, officially."

"I'm Lucinda, Lucinda Lockheart."

"Oh, what're you reading?" he noticed that the cover of her book was plain, worn black leather, decorated with a large golden Ankh.

"It has nothing to do with you," she snapped the book shut and hid it quickly under her bag beside her. "Do you want something? Are you lost?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you…" George pointed his wand at her from beneath his cloak and whispered, "Somniaph," and her body drooped back against the tree as she fell asleep.

George retrieved the book from beneath her bag and tried to duplicate it with a charm. There were some odd blue sparks, but the book didn't copy, the Ankh just glowed brightly - he realized that the book must be protected. Looking at the first page, he discovered that it was a manual on 'The Arts of Immortality, Life and Death' by Elvegora Deteras. Upon reading the name of the author, he decided that the book may prove useful to him later. All of Elvegora Deteras' manuals (and copies or books thereof) had been banned, confiscated and burned hundreds of years ago.

George slipped the manual into his inside pocket, and quickly adjusted the girl's memory so that she wouldn't remember seeing him there, before hurrying off to the staff room.

Students were already beginning to gravitate towards the great hall, and it wasn't empty by the time he reached it.

*

The presentation had gone well, and afterwards, Professor McGonagall cornered George in the staff room.

"That was a great speech, George. I think many of the students enjoyed it… How would you like to come teach Muggle Studies and Relations here at Hogwarts?"

"Me? But, there hasn't been Muggle Studies since, well, the days of Voldemort."

"I know, but there hasn't been enough interest in the subject since then. However, this year's survey shows that you'd actually have a couple of classes a day. It's enough that we're going to need to find a teacher… It pays better than the ministry does, and I'm sure it's less stressful than your current job."

"But, Helen? And Roxanne? I can't very well leave them."

"They can move here, to Hogsmeade, they'll be a walk away from work. We really think you'd be the perfect fit for this position."

"Helen works in the Muggle city where we live. She wouldn't want to leave her job."

"She can work at the Muggle relations office on New Hogsmeade Square. They're looking for intelligent Muggles who live in our world to fill some prime positions right now… she'd love it, I'm sure."

"Okay. Well, I can see that you really want me here - so I'll speak to Helen and see what we can do? I'll get back to you soon?"

"In a few weeks, if you can. It's becoming increasingly hard to locate good teachers. Please, do try," she smiled warmly before walking away.

George quietly excused himself and started his walk back to the main gate, his mind already analyzing all the aspects, pros, and cons of working at Hogwarts.

**AN: **This chapter has also been reloaded. It's now betaed.


	11. 11 Trouble in Paradise

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language…

**11. Trouble in Paradise**

"Absolutely not," Helen said, for about the third time in the conversation. "I will not uproot my whole life to move to some little village in the middle of nowhere."

"But Hels, this is such an opportunity. Imagine all the new, exciting things you'll see." She looked thoroughly unconvinced.

"You don't understand, George. My family, my job, my whole life is here. I can't just leave. What would we tell my parents?"

"We could tell them we're moving to Scotland, or something. I don't know."

"Lie to my parents? Outright? As it is they think you're a claims consultant for an insurance company… This is outrageous, George. Forget about it!" She slammed a pot down on the counter and stormed out of the room.

Helen could be so stubborn.

*

George had just handed in his resignation letter earlier, and news had already spread that he was leaving.

Bella, one of his co-workers, confronted him at the elevators on the way out to lunch.

Scott, a Dept. of Mysteries authority, had asked him about why he was leaving when he came back from lunch.

Even Percy had taken a few minutes from his precious planning time for his third Minister-run campaign to inquire.

It made sense that almost immediately after sitting down at his desk after lunch, he would get an angry cell phone call from Helen.

"GEORGE! What the fuck!? You resigned?" She screeched in a harsh, accusatory tone from the other side of the line.

"Honey, I'm taking the job at Hogwarts. I weighed the pros and cons, and I'm doing it."

"You went behind my back? After I said NO! You disgust me."

And, she hung up.

"With or without you…" George added softly, speaking to himself more than the dead line. Working at Hogwarts would make his final goal that much easier to reach.

*

When George got home, Helen was already in the kitchen cooking dinner. When he walked in, she turned on him like a bull, ready to charge.

Instead of exploding at him though, she calmly said, "Get out. I can't handle this right now."

George decided that it was a useless exercise trying to argue to his defence. Instead, he walked back through the door, and apparated to Hogsmeade.

*

George had been at The Hog's Head, drinking, for several hours now. It was almost 4am, and Helen still hadn't called.

When he decided it wouldn't be a good idea to carry on drinking, he left and checked in at a small Inn down the main road. He would accept the job at Hogwarts in the morning.

*

When he finally left The Phoenix Feather Inn, which he had discovered the Inn he'd stayed at was called, George had a huge hangover - and it was almost 2pm already. He decided it wouldn't be a good idea to visit Professor Mc Gonnagal until he was over his hangover.

He visited the potion supplies store on Fourth street to pick up some stuff to whip up a quick cure for his hangover, and once he was done drinking that, headed straight for Hogwarts.

It was nearly three, but he doubted Professor Mc Gonnagal would mind when he accepted the job. As long as he did.

*

Professor Mc Gonnagal had been overjoyed that he'd accepted the job, and had even agreed to let him onto the staff early. He'd start working on Monday, as a substitute for the Divinations teacher, who was leaving on maternity.

His room was great. It had a bathroom, a small sitting area, and even a makeshift kitchen. It was on the fourth floor, close to his new classroom, and he even had an office adjoining the two.

He was lying on his bed, paging through the Divinations syllabus, which he'd picked up from Professor Fraser's office on the way to his own rooms. He had no clue what she had or hadn't done with her students, but he picked a topic from somewhere near the back of the book at random, and started to prepare a lesson for his Monday morning third-years.

When he was done, he decided to take a walk to the staff room to have coffee with some of the teachers after dinner - he hadn't attended dinner, because he wasn't going to be announced as a new staff member until Sunday night, so he had two nights off; it being Friday.

*

He mindlessly took one of the many secret shortcuts which he'd memorised while still in school, and soon before reaching its exit, where it widened into a hidden room, he heard talking.

Covering himself with his invisibility cloak; which he usually carried in case of an emergency, and casting a charm to silence his footfalls, he stepped forward into the lit opening.

The light was coming from the tip of none other than Albus Potter's wand. In front of him, Scorpius was stirring a potion with his free hand - one was rested on Albus' thigh.

George recognised the smell and colour of the potion almost immediately.

Pulling of the invisibility cloak, George said, "We really need to stop running into each other like this… Its seriously going to get one, or all of us into trouble some day."

**AN: **Is it getting boring?? Or something?? People seem to have lost interest, like, completely. (Xo,)


	12. 12 The Potion's Master

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**AN: **Thanks for the great reviews I got on the last chapter… I was really starting to think I was boring people with my endless ramblings… Guess not =) PS - to fully understand wtf is going on here, go read Three Cheers… The stories correspond XD hehe. Review!! (it's an order…)

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language…

**12. The Potion's Master**

Albus and Scorpius jumped apart at the sound of George's voice.

Scorpius drew his wand, but lowered it again when he saw it was only George - not a threat.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Albus practically shouted at George, exasperated. "You almost scared me to death!"

"I teach here now? Didn't you hear?" Surely these two couldn't be out of school that much, that they didn't even know George had joined the faculty.

"We know you teach here… He means here, like, here in this secret room that only we know about?" Scorpius interjected calmly, before Albus could stick his foot deeper in…

"Oh, well, I knew a shortcut to the staff room - so I took it," George was mildly confused: surely they didn't think they were the only ones who knew shortcuts around the castle. They had been there for centuries after all.

"You know shortcuts? How many?" Albus asked, much more calmly this time.

"I did come to school here for almost seven years, you know? That was plenty time to learn the shortcuts… I pretty much know them all."

"That's awesome!" Albus looked thrilled that someone else was educated in their primary means of causing chaos.

"You can't tell people - teachers - about them, though. We need these hiding spots," Scorpius pleaded, though George wouldn't ever spoil their fun like that.

"I'm not telling anyone, don't worry…"

George eyed the cauldron of brewing Asphixus, which was now more purple than blue; and bubbling fiercely.

"The Asphixus is burning," he said casually.

Scorpius jumped to tend to the potion, mindlessly, but Albus gave George a skeptical look.

"How do you know about our potion?" Albus asked, nervous now. Realising only then that George had identified the potion, Scorpius also gave him an anxious look.

"Your potion?" George eyed the cauldron which Scorpius was masterfully repairing. "No… it can't be? That's where the 'AS' is from… Albus and Scorpius. You guys invented the Asphixus potion?" George was amazed, even if he was slightly concerned that a pair of students had designed a drug, and were selling it nationwide.

Albus gave Scorpius a pointed look. Scorpius answered with a brisk nod.

"Obliviate!" Albus barked, pointing his wand at George's chest.

Realising a second early, and just in time, that Albus was about to hex him; George cast a barrier that deflected the memory eradicating charm.

"Let's not try that again, shall we?" George disarmed both of them for safe measure. "I won't tell anyone about the potion, or the secret passages. You're kids… Kids do this sort of shit," he winked playfully and threw them their wands before leaving.

He remembered all too clearly the shit he got up to in school.

*

George's first class had gone relatively well.

It was a theory lesson, so he didn't really have to know what it was you needed to do to achieve the desired effects of the theories, but since he'd have to give practical lessons too, he'd be doing a lot of research.

Divination had never been his strong point, though he'd taken it as a crutch in school, and he'd been forced to explain to the class that he was not, in fact, a clairvoyant when they asked for demonstrations. The class seemed to like him, however, and didn't mind that he couldn't demonstrate the theories he was teaching them; by suddenly declaring a prophecy or something like that.

This specific lesson had been centered around the casting of horoscopes; using a combination of "cheat" magic and the stars, and the class was wonderfully excited when he told them they'd be having a practical lesson on Wednesday at midnight in the astronomy tower, so they could all try and put the ridiculous theories into practice together.

At the moment, however, George was enjoying a free period before lunch in his office - daydreaming about the wonderful feeling of being high on Asphixus, and wondering when he'd be able to get his store back from the magically concealed compartment in his underwear drawer.

His daydreaming was interrupted by a knock at the door, followed by a soft, "Hello?"

"Come in," George said, straightening up behind his desk, and grabbing a quill and a used scroll so he'd look busy.

A Huffelpuff prefect came in, with an envelope in her hand which she handed him. "This came for you this morning, while you were teaching."

"Thanks," George said, putting the letter down on top of a pile of Divination manuals he'd taken out at the library.

When the Huffelpuff girl left, he opened it and read it. It was from Helen.

'I tried to call, but you weren't answering.

It's been nearly a week, George.

If you get this, it means you're already at Hogwarts, and I'm sorry, but I'm not following you there.

This has been a long time coming, and I hoped it wouldn't come to this…

You can come get your things and sign the divorce papers some time this week.

I'm sorry,

Helen.'

The paper was stained at the bottom by a few teardrops. It almost made George feel bad about the lies. The secrets. The distance that had suddenly grown between them, and their diverse worlds.

He'd married a Muggle to try and escape from the magical world at least sometimes, but now that he was ready to rejoin it, there didn't seem to be a place left for her.

*

George's second and third lessons had gone just as smoothly as the first, though he'd had to explain again that he wasn't by any means a psychic to both classes, and when he was done with teaching for the day; he found himself a book on Astrology at the library, and went to read it in one of the many secret rooms he knew.

He's been prepping his lesson for Wednesday night for an hour or so, when suddenly he was hit by a wave of déjà vu.

He and Fred had invented their short-lived patented vomiting sweets together, in this very room, in their fifth year at Hogwarts…

Now that he was back, he realised, he missed his brother more than ever.


	13. 13 His Goals Realized

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language in places…

**13. His Goals realized**

That Wednesday morning, on the day of the practical, George would visit Helen to sign the divorce papers, and retrieve his small trunk of personal possessions; as well as his secret stash of things, hidden in his underwear drawer.

Walking through the windy streets of Hogsmeade, he pulled his light cloak tighter against the mid-November chill. He was suffering without his warmer, winter attire. It wouldn't have been a good idea to put this visit off for any longer - if only because he needed clothes.

George was vaguely aware of a young couple arguing over the price of a broomstick in front of the novelties store, or the innkeeper from The Phoenix Feather chatting up a young waitress at The Hog's Head. He nearly didn't notice the three Hogwarts students bunking in an alley between two small buildings, and he didn't care either. The cold wind didn't really bother him, though he tried vaguely to daunt it. He felt numb. His world seemed numb.

Was he really ready to throw his whole life with Helen away, over a petty argument about a job?

He had to remind himself again that it wasn't just that. He knew it was other things too… Everything else too.

It was a huge step in a completely new direction, and he found himself battling to cope with the thought of her not being part of his life anymore.

What would the kids think? Would they say anything?

What would the neighbours think?

God. He sounded like Ginny.

*

Helen wasn't home when he got there just before 9am, though he'd sent a letter saying he'd be there at nine. She was usually punctual.

He waited at the front door for a few minutes, and when he was about to turn to leave, he noticed a folded piece of paper sticking out from under the rug on the doorstep.

It read:

'Go inside. I know you can. You don't need me to let you in.

I can't be here for this. I'm sorry.

The papers are on the kitchen table. Sign on all the hi-lighted green lines.

Your trunk is at the foot of the stairs. If there's something I've forgotten, feel free to find it.

Good Bye, George'

George signed the papers, an almost forlorn feeling creeping into his chest as he imagined what he'd just done. Would there be a nasty court battle for possessions and custody at some point after this?

He didn't think he could handle anything more on the topic.

He stepped past the trunk Helen had packed, and went upstairs to the room, where he his invisible, hidden chest in the underwear drawer. With all his clothing packed already, it was almost noticeable.

When he had everything, he left the house, locking the door behind him with a hidden wave of his wand.

As an afterthought, he took out a parchment and left a note under the kitchen door, saying, 'Good bye, Helen. I'm sorry too'

*

By the time George got back to Hogwarts, he was already a few minutes late for his sixth-years' morning class, who were waiting in the classroom already, less than patiently. He was busy for most of the day after that, either teaching, or running some or another errand for Proffessor McGonagall.

He didn't have a free minute once during the day to sort out the things he'd fetched that morning until after the practical in the astronomy tower, which ended at roughly 1am.

He unpacked his trunk into the closet in his quarters, and then unsealed the magical box from his underwear drawer. Inside was a few vials of Asphixus, some magazines, a magically made copy of the marauder's map that he and Fred had made in school, and the Elvegora Deteras manual he'd …confiscated on his last visit to Hogwarts.

He read the name on the first page again.

'The Arts of Immortality, Life and Death - a manual by Elvegora Deteras'

Elvegora Deteras had been a vampire, who'd lived in the first few centuries AD, and she'd written seven magical manuals on highly controversial subjects from her centuries of research. She was burned in 672 AD, at the age of roughly four-hundred-and-fifty.

This specific manual was the most controversial of the seven, and had been the first one banned and then later confiscated for destruction. That he even had one in his possession was enough to have him put in Azkaban for a decade.

He decided that for safe measure, he'd transfigure the cover and binding so that the book looked like just another Divinations manual.

He opened up to page 437, where the chapter about Advanced Necromancy began; and began studying intently.


	14. 14 The Necromancer

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language in places…

**14. The Necromancer**

He opened up to page 437, where the chapter about Advanced Necromancy began; and began studying intently.

Elvegora had obviously both researched and practiced at length on the subject, as she often used references to different methodology and theories in relation to her own work; which was the core of the book's content, and very to the point.

It was like a Complete Idiot's guide to Necromancy - with over three centuries of references to back it.

*

After a meeting with Professor McGonagall later that morning, George went back to his office to continue reading up on the specific method of necromancy he had chosen to study and practice, since he wouldn't be teaching at all until the afternoon.

The genius behind the technique was an ancient Egyptian necromancer, Loran Lazila, who was infamous for his near perfect resurrections of mummies who had been dead and buried for centuries, and the use of these mind washed resurrected to infiltrate the government. Loran was one of history's most proficient necromancers, and his work was absolutely impossible to come by, so it was amazingly lucky that he made an appearance in the manual.

George decided that he would begin practicing that same night.

*

There was a knock at George's office door.

He quickly closed and hid the manual, before indicating that his guest may enter with a casual, "Yes…"

It was Scorpius Malfoy (obviously followed closely by his friend and lover, Albus) who had come to deliver George a new batch of Asphixus, since George had discovered that all of his had expired, when he'd opened a vial and found it smelled more like feet than blueberries.

"I made these this morning," Scorpius announced, handing George two vials of the electric blue potion. "They're as fresh as you're going to get. I didn't even realise the Asphixus could expire. I'm going to work on that later today"

"Actually, I was hoping you could help me with something else," George said casually. "I'm looking for a good de-ageing potion. Do you know any?"

"De-ageing? Like, to reverse age? No, sorry. I know a couple that can stop it, or stunt it… But, complete de-ageing potions are terribly rare"

"Hmm. Well, will you research it for me? I'd be very grateful, and Owls are coming up soon," George said with a wink.

"Uh, sure, I'll see what I can do," Scorpius obviously got the hint.

The boys left, and George went back to his reading.

**AN:** This was a really short chapter, I know… sorry =) I really haven't had much time to write more, and this was where I needed this chapter to end. I'll try make the next one more fulfilling XD


	15. 15 Incident

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language in places…

**15. Incident **

George downed the potion like he had numerous times before.

He hardly took any notice of the burning that followed the blue acid down his throat, or the inversion of his vision as his air supply was suddenly cut. He didn't even register the change from sober to high as the almost immediate effects of the potion set in.

He sat heavily on the stone floor next to the open manual, chuckling at how weird everything looked in the badly lit gloom of the small chamber.

It was hard to read the old, faded writing - as he'd expected, so he quickly did a spell that would clear his vision a bit.

He mouthed the incantation again, ensuring that he remembered it clearly, even past the change in mind state. He did.

From the inside pocket of his discarded coat, he procured a small wooden chest, out of which he took the six-week-old carcass of a black field mouse. His goal for the evening was to return its body to the condition it was in when it died, that is, perfectly healthy (he'd selected the mouse himself for its strength and health, and killed it with the Killing Curse, using a spell to accelerate the decomposition process by six weeks). He needed progress.

Setting the mouse in the centre of a small circle of salt, he began the incantation.

It was a long, relatively intricate incantation - restoring corpses was far more involved than accelerating their decay. When he was finally done, he uttered the last motet.

The corpse was glowing slightly and it continued to do so for a few minutes, but otherwise, its condition remained unchanged.

The spell would need practice.

*

George was sitting in the staff room speaking with a group of teachers, drinking a cup of coffee, when suddenly Darianna Prince flew into the room, a swirl of deep purple robes and silver hair. She was literally boiling over.

Getting to her feet at the approach, Professor McGonagall said, "Darianna, what is it? Is everything okay?"

"No!" She practically screeched, "No, everything is not okay! They know. They all know! I'm leaving, tonight. I'm going, and you can't stop me Minerva!"

"Darianna, calm down. No one could possibly know anything," noticing that their incredibly loud discussion could be heard by at least ten teachers, she said less loudly, "let's continue this conversation in my office, shall we?"

Professor McGonagall left the staff room, leading Darianna Prince by the arm, whispering soothing words into the odd woman's silver hair.

"What was that about?" George asked the dazed crowd of teachers.

"Hell knows" Professor Cawly, the Defence against the Dark Arts professor said with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, I know what that was about" It was Professor Binns, the old ghost, who'd just wafted in through the floor. Noticing the crowd of inquisitive faces that turned his way, he tactlessly said, "but, I'm not going to tell you."

*

After the incident in the staff room that afternoon, Professor Prince's classes were put on substitution. George got her last class of the day - the Huffelpuff/ Ravenclaw first years.

He was babysitting them in his own class when Scorpius Malfoy, who was oddly alone, came in after knocking quickly.

"Yes, Mr Malfoy, can I help you?"

"Professor Weasley" Scorpius obviously picked up on the 'in front of other students' formality, "Can I have a quick word with you?"

"Er, of course…" George replied cautiously, and they stepped out of his class into the corridor.

Scorpius looked around to ensure no one was listening in before speaking.

"Well, I was looking for that potion you asked for. The de-ageing one… and I kind of asked Professor Prince about it, to see if she could help. She always helps me with potions related stuff. So, I asked her, and she totally freaked the fuck out on me, and then she left, and all her classes were put on subs. Do you know what's up?"

"Oh, that's what that was about," George said, possibly even more confused than he'd already been about the situation. "She came into the staffroom, screaming and performing, threatening to leave, and Professor McGonagall took her away. They've been in her office since…"

"I wonder what her problem is?" Scorpius said, dazed.

"Me too, but you'd better be getting back to class, I'll let you know when I do"

*

Darianna Prince wasn't at dinner that night, and George was starting to worry. What if he had (indirectly) caused Hogwarts to lose the best potions teacher (apparently) they'd ever had?

His worries were settled, however, when Darianna appeared briefly in the staff room to have a cup of tea by herself in the corner before retiring to bed.

Professor McGonagall confirmed that she had been convinced to stay.

**AN:** Hey Guys… sorry this has taken so long!! Things have been pretty hectic and I didn't get around to writing some more. Happy Halloween to my Northern Hemisphere readers!! (and Happy Beltane to my S.H. ones…)

Hope you enjoy the chapter, let me know what you think!! Hehe.


	16. 16 DeAgeing and Reversing Decay

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language in places…

**16. De-Ageing and Reversing Decay **

Scorpius let himself into George's office.

"I have the potion you asked for" he said casually. "You owe me. I went through hell to get it."

George looked up from the OWLs he was marking. Scorpius was carrying a holder, in which there were six vials of opaque liquid. "Did Professor Prince have anything to do with the hell you went through?"

Scorpius nodded, "Yeah, she did. It got worse…"

George looked at him again "Yeah?"

"Yeah, McGonagall hunted me down before dinner, and said I had to apologize to Professor Prince, something about me insinuating that she was using de-ageing potions and her taking offence… I told her I needed a recipe so I could make the potion for my dying dog. She fell for it, and she made me a full batch" Scorpius said, sitting down across from George.

"Wait, you asked her about the potion, I know that - so that must have been why she was flipping out… But, what exactly happened? She was going on about people knowing something when she had her episode in the staff room," George mused, turning away from the exams completely now to look at Scor.

"Well, in any event, I got the potions. I'm going to go study for Defence Against the Dark Arts now, which is my worst subject… Hint. Hint"

"I'll be sure to assist when it's time to mark those… Professor Cawly has a huge crush on me" George said, laughing, "I'm sure she wouldn't mind the help."

Scorpius left the office, laughing too now.

*

The potion had come with instructions.

'six potions included. Age reduction of 10 years each for humans, should be a 2 year age reduction each for dogs. Drink only before bed. Drink only 1 daily. Effects will take 4 weeks to show'

They were simple instructions. He was sure he could get that right.

Deciding that now was as good a time to start as any, he downed the contents of the first vial. The potion was disgusting, and it burned his stomach like hell as it hit. He chased the potion with some cranberry juice he'd left next to his bed that morning, before getting into bed.

The last thing he did before resigning to another night of dream-filled sleep was set a charm to wake him at midnight.

*

George made his way to the hidden room wherein he practiced his dark magic.

Again he placed the decaying field mouse in the centre of a circle of salt, and again he mouthed the intricate incantation to ensure that he remembered it. Again, he did.

He set about casting the spell on the carcass, and when the glowing began, he abruptly changed the pattern in which his practiced hands were moving.

The field mouse started reverting to it's original, non decayed form. When he uttered the final motet, the corpse was as good as new, lying in the salt circle.

He was ready for the first part of the resurrection…

*

When George was done helping Cili Cawly mark the DADA papers, he retired to his room where he changed into a set of pitch black robes. He grabbed the silver mask he'd been hiding in the secret compartment in his wardrobe and let himself out at the window. It was getting late, he would have to hurry…

He jumped gracefully from the third storey window, catching himself effortlessly with a charm before landing, and ran swiftly for the Womping Willow, pulling on his invisibility cloak.

Thankfully, he knew a way off of the protected grounds that didn't involve trying to undo countless defensive mechanisms, or it would have taken George days to accomplish this mission.

By the time he'd reached the shrieking shack via the Womping Willow, and then let himself out into the streets of Hogsmeade, it was almost 11pm. He didn't have much time.

He apparated to the cemetery where his brother was buried - thank Merlin he'd been buried, or this would be hopeless - and picked his way over to the old, dilapidated grave. This was going to be a traumatising experience…

He flicked his wand over the grave, finding the weakest point in the concrete covering, and when he found it, he blew it apart with a hushed utterance of "Diffindo"

Once the concrete slab was broken, George began siphoning sand and rubble out of the grave. The grave was only a few feet deep, and it didn't take a tremendously large amount of time before the top of his brother's coffin was revealed. He continued the spell until there was an open border around the coffin, which even after 23 years, was still in relatively good shape… Amazingly.

"Wingardium Leviosa" George whispered. The coffin rose slowly from the grave, and George lowered it onto a clear spot to his left.

He was nervous. He couldn't bare to open the coffin, for fear of what he may or may not find.

What if Fred wasn't even in there?

What would Fred even look like? Would he still look like Fred at all?

He knew he had to do it, there was no backing out now.

"Alohomora" George said, pointing his wand at the lid of the casket, but looking away.

He heard the click as the lid of the coffin popped open, and was immediately hit by the stench of…

Death

**AN:** Hey Guys…

So, this story is coming to an end. Only 2 chapters left, but, I'm going to do a part 2... Which I'm hoping is going to be quite interesting.

Please leave feedback - your opinions/ feedback motivates me.


	17. 17 Body

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language in places…

**17. Body (Shitai?!)**

After what seemed like several moments, George plucked up the courage and looked inside the coffin.

Bones…

Nothing but bones. Dirty, stinky bones… but bones, nonetheless.

Where was his brother? This lifeless, characteristic-less pile of bones couldn't possibly be his brother.

He was tempted to take out one of the bones and inspect it closely, or dig around inside the coffin for another sign of his brother - but he knew better than to disturb the natural state and positioning of the body. This was too delicate an exercise to meddle with so easily.

Getting out his wand, George got to work immediately. He tested if he remembered the incantation once again, and, when he was satisfied that he did, he began to chant.

This wasn't a dead mouse. It was his brother, it was Fred. This was the real thing, and he couldn't afford fuck anything up.

He almost didn't change the pattern in which his hands were moving in time when the bones in the coffin began to shine, he was so nervous. But, he caught himself in time, and the spell was continued unhindered.

Finally, just before he finished the last motet, he looked away.

He didn't know if he'd be able to look back. He felt too anxious. He knew he had to have screwed something up. There was no way in hell this could have gone smoothly…

He calmed himself down with a relaxing spell, and looked into the casket.

Fred.

It was really Fred.

His naked, nineteen-year-old body lay perfect, unblemished and un-decayed in the casket, among some tattered material and dust.

George fell forward, head against the coffin, and sobbed.

*

George had made it back to the castle minutes before sunrise.

"Professor?" a girl said softly, knocking at the door, and then more loudly, "Professor?"

"Huh?" George rolled out of bed, "Yes? Who is it?"

"Felicity Merryweather sir, a prefect, Professor McGonagall sent me to see if you were okay…"

George realised that he'd overslept, and was obviously late. "Um, I'm fine. Sorry. I overslept. So, so sorry. Please, tell professor McGonagall I'll be right out." and, as an afterthought, "What time is it?"

"It's almost ten, sir, your first class is in a few minutes…" the girl said before leaving.

George rushed frantically to get ready, and when he looked acceptable, rushed to meet his first class of the last day of school in time.

*

George was in the cold, dark hidden room again.

Tonight, however, his goal would be to resurrect a corpse which had already been restored.

It was the most intricate spell he'd ever seen, let alone had to learn…

It required a Podium of Instruction, which he'd acquired in Diagon Alley, and several other pieces of magical apparatus, like Lapis Lazuli crystals; a bone-tipped wand.

He placed the Lapis lazuli stones in a circle, as the scrolls he was reading from instructed, and laid a bird's corpse in the centre.

He'd been studying and memorizing this spell for weeks, practicing on plants by the lake, and he knew he'd have to get it right on the bird first time if he was going to be satisfied.

He stood behind the Podium and downed a vial of Asphixus.

Waiting for the effects to fully settle in, he read the incantation aloud to himself. He wasn't forgetting any of it, and the entire spell was still fresh in his memory, despite his intoxication. A good sign… A sign that he was ready?

He began the incantation, tracing intricate patterns in the air with his wand, pronouncing each ancient word of each complex phrase perfectly.

He'd done his homework. The spell was going smoothly.

The bird began to shine.

Green - the colour of Avada Kedavra.

Everything was going according to script. The bird seemed to be vibrating now, and suddenly, the beam of murderous green light exploded outwards, through the roof above them and away.

The glow around the body was now pure white, and the corpse was vibrating with even more vigour.

Abruptly, the bird took flight.

It flew around below the ceiling, looking frenziedly for an escape.

George killed it swiftly with a flick if his wand and a flash of green light.

He had succeeded

He was ready.

**AN: **One more chapter to go… Any ideas for part 2??

Here's a quick preview of chapter 18. ;-P

'**His twin brother looked around wildly, and then at him, straight in the eyes.**

**They both smiled, both with a confused expression, truly mirror images of one another again.**

**Their silent exchange was broken by the sound of shattering glass. An explosion. Crimson light.**

**And complete, utter darkness.'**

**PS: Happy Birthday to Me =)**


	18. 18 Resurrection

**Note: **The contents of the following story are my own original work. The characters, trademarks and associated brands you may recognize from Harry Potter all belong to J. K. Rowling and in no way am I claiming them as my own. The story is based in and around the happenings in the fanfic "Three cheers to fatherhood" by Bl00dofthevine, who is also my beta reader, you're awesome my friend!! Thanks a bunch!!

**Warnings:** Slash - nothing hectic, and strong language in places…

**18. Resurrection**

It was a week before Christmas eve.

George had decided to stay at the school for the holidays. He didn't have a home to go back to, and his family weren't expecting him until Christmas lunch.

Little did they know, he had absolutely no intention of attending…

He waited, again, until midnight, when he was sure no one would notice his creeping around in the dark, and left the castle inconspicuously through a window further down the hall. The window in his room was unavailable to him, as a massive ice sculpture had been set right where he would normally land. Inconvenient.

Once out of the castle, he made his way swiftly over to the Whomping Willow and through the concealed passage into the Shrieking Shack. He was doing regular checks to make sure that the freezing charm he'd placed on his brother's coffin, as well as the wards and security charms, had not come undone. They hadn't, and the coffin was still levitating, perfectly safe, where he'd left it.

*

The castle was bustling with festive activity, despite there being only a handful of people still there.

Unfortunately, Darianna Prince had not been one of the people who'd left for the holidays, and George was being extremely careful to avoid her as much as possible… He didn't want her to see the effects of the de-ageing potion, which were showing rapidly.

He'd been assigned to help decorate the hall for the Christmas brunch, which would need doing immediately, since Professor McHindley (the new Charms professor) was leaving the next day. The hall would thus be fully decorated three days before the brunch.

He arrived at the Great Hall, wand ready, and almost walked right into Professor Prince turning the corner. She looked at him briefly, but disappeared off down another corridor without a word in greeting. She was obviously too preoccupied with her own thoughts to worry about how young he was looking.

He sighed, relieved.

*

Christmas Eve. A day of joy and pre-celebratory celebration.

George slept in, not worrying about missing breakfast in the great hall, as he was planning on visiting Hogsmeade anyway. Before that, however, he paid a visit to Albus and Scorpius' dorm. He knew that he was going to disappear soon, and he wanted at least somebody to know he wasn't really gone.

He'd inked a quick note the previous night. Wording and rewording it several times, he'd eventually decided to simply write 'I'm not gone' followed by a rough sketch of the intricate AS Asphixus symbol. They should be able to tell from that who the note was from.

He left the note under Scorpius' bed, disguising it with a charm. He also put an enchantment on the small, square piece of parchment that would cause it to reveal itself to Scorpius when the boys arrived back at school after Christmas break.

He left the dungeons, still careful to avoid Darianna, and made his way to a small, cosy Hogsmeade restaurant.

*

George awoke for what was going to be his final midnight escapade.

He made his way to the Shrieking Shack, depositing the apparatus he would require for the resurrection in the Great Hall first. He thought, if he was going to make a disappearing act, he may as well go out with a bang.

Once in the shrieking shack, he unbound the coffin, removing the wards and protection. Then, he threw the invisibility cloak over it and proceeded back through the tunnel, the coffin levitating behind him. He didn't want to risk damaging his brother's body at all, so he stunned, body-bound and then killed the Whomping Willow with the curse which he'd used two times now - in as many months.

He mission'd back to the Great Hall, carefully guiding the casket, and set it down in the center, moving the tables to the walls with a casual flick of his wand.

Then, he placed a ward around the Hall (locking the massive doors) so no one, not even a ghost, could come in. It would take a lot to break in now, since he'd specifically researched his methods in preparation for this event.

Next, he placed the Lapis Lazuli crystals around the coffin in a circle. He set the various scrolls he'd be referring to atop the Podium of Instruction, which he moved onto the dais at the front of the hall, replacing Professor McGonagall's.

Finally, he opened the coffin, revealing his brother's body. A corpse, hopefully not for much longer.

Before he went to work preparing and performing the ritual, he removed the charms he'd placed on his own body to make himself appear older. Looking into one of the unmelting ice sculptures that had been placed around the massive room, he saw that he looked as young as his brother had been when they were separated. It would be as if nothing had happened at all, and they could just carry on where they left off…

George put out the candles that adorned the walls, causing an eerie darkness. It was almost cold in the massive hall, but it was perfectly okay by him - cold and dark matched the mood of what he was about to do. He knew he was breaking several laws, but he didn't care.

He thought briefly about Roxanne and Freddie, and Helen. Would they miss him?

It was too late for that now…

Stepping away from the old Podium of Instruction, he began to chant, waving his wand in the intricate patterns he'd so diligently memorised. Before long, the magically restored dead body of his brother began to shine with an ominous green light… He knew that this was a reversal of the way his brother had died - or rather, been murdered. True to form, the light centred to Fred's chest and then exploded outward, a beam which retreated through the ceiling and out of sight. Death didn't like being cheated, and it ran at the thought.

George continued the dark ritual, into the perfection of which he'd poured months of endless trouble and effort, and soon his brother's body started to regain its colour. Almost bursting with an anticipatory excitement, George carried on with renewed vigour and even more practiced precision.

Suddenly, the body moved - a sharp, odd movement, almost too fast to have been noticed. Startled by the quick flinch the body had made, George almost lost his place completely, but his subconscious took over and he strove forward to complete the complex incantation. He'd lost everything to get here, he wasn't about to stuff it all up now.

The spell was complete. Fred was breathing.

His twin brother sat up and looked around wildly, and then at him, straight in the eyes.

They both smiled, both with a confused expression, truly mirror images of one another again.

Their silent exchange was broken by the sound of shattering glass. An explosion. Crimson light.

And complete, utter darkness.

* * *

**AN:** So…

That's the end of the first part of this story, but, for its avid readers (who I appreciate tremendously) I'll be starting part 2 soon. Hopefully. Please R&R!!

Part 2 will have an M rating, because we all know the kind of stuff teenage boys get up to… ;'P (Warning you all in advance: SLASH. TWINCEST. If you don't like either of the above, it isn't my problem and I don't want to hear it…)

The second part will be titled: **Second Chance, a saga**

**And, here's a short preview…**

**1. Reunion**

The headline read: 'Christmas Eve: Hogwarts Hall decimated in surprise assault - Dark involvement suspected'

The underlying article described how someone had broken into the school via the Whomping Willow, and had attempted to use the great hall for 'some kind of unidentifiable dark ritual' The suspect/s had escaped, and currently were on the loose somewhere in Britain. Terrible dark magic was suspected to be at play.

*

George looked deeply into Fred's eyes. Their reunion had been interrupted by a Ministry assault, but luckily, the aurors hadn't been on time. Fred was alive, and they had escaped.

The buzzing traffic outside the window of the third storey motel room they were currently renting was impossible to talk over, so they simply sat in silence, relishing in each others' presence.


	19. Announcement

-1**Anouncement**

Chapter one of the follow-on for this story, entitled 'The Reunion Saga' is posted. It is currently age-restricted at 'T' but the rating will go up to 'M' by chapter 4.

Read it and let me know what you think??

EvanescentCrimson


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